(dis)Place[d]: A One Woman Show by Debórah Eliezer

Debórah Eliezer’s one-woman show cracks open the assumptions of her own identity through the story of her father, Edward Ben-Eliezer, an Iraqi Jew born in 1930, a member of the Zionist underground in the aftermath of World War II, a refugee, Israeli spy, and an immigrant to America.  

Set in Iraq, pre-state Israel, and San Francisco, and giving voice to a dozen different characters—including her father at three different ages, her great grandmother, their Iraqi neighbors, and an ethereal embodiment of the Tigris Euphrates valley itself – this one-hour tour de force tells the remarkable history of the Iraqi Jewish Diaspora, as told by a daughter of that diaspora. Through this journey, Eliezer also finds a missing part of herself, “a song sung in a language I can’t understand” as she puts it. “A dream I can’t remember.” 

Tea Salon
Following the 3 pm matinee join us for a 30 minute Iraqi-style tea salon. A delicious space for reflection, we invite you to sit in small groups, partake of tea and sweets, and relax. Via small slips of paper, questions will be asked of fellow participants to inspire dialogue about cultural identity.  

“Luminous…So beautifully written, performed and directed that you might wish it were longer. Eliezer is an expressive actor, and her story, lyrical and affecting, is one you’ve probably never heard before.”   Jean Schiffman, San Francisco Examiner 

Debórah Eliezer, (she/her), is the Artistic Director of Aviva Arts, an Associate Member of Golden Thread, a professional voiceover artist, and an artEquity Arts Facilitator Alum. An arts administrator, theater maker and cultural provocateur, she creates with a focus on ensemble collaboration. From 2011-2022, she was the Artistic Director of foolsFURY, where she directed, created, and performed in the world premieres of Dionysus Was Such a Nice Man, by Kate Tarker, The Unheard of World by Fabrice Melquiot, Faulted by Angela Santillo, Port Out, Starboard Home with Sheila Callaghan, and Monster in the Dark with Doug Dorst. Golden Thread productions include Ziryab’s The Fifth String by Torange Yeghiazarian, Ecstasy a Water Fable by Denmo Ibrahim and Karima’s City, by Yussef El Guindi.  For more information visit https://www.deboraheliezer.com 

Our community partner is JIMENA 

The event takes place in Kanbar Hall at the JCCSF.

We’re so glad to welcome you into our building again! Safety is paramount and we appreciate your patience and cooperation as we follow San Francisco’s healthy and safety requirements.

How We’ll Stay Safe Together: All staff have been vaccinated and we welcome fully vaccinated patrons to our programs. If you’re not vaccinated, don’t forget your mask – you’ll need to keep it on start to finish.